The photo above shows the small square known as Largo Goldoni. The people most familiar with the spot are those heading to the Fendi store, which occupies the western side of the space. What draws me there, though, is the artwork that sits in front of the Fendi location. The name of the sculpture is “Leaves of Stone.” The piece, bare trees with what could be interpreted as a marble block sitting in their branches, is the work of the artist, Giuseppe Penone. The piece was installed in Largo Goldoni in 2017, and was a gift from Fendi to the city of Rome. This part of the city is a shopper’s paradise, filled with high-end shops and boutiques, selling everything, from clothing to jewelry.
As we walked past the second entrance of the Caffè Greco, which we had posted about last week, we saw a plaque set on the building’s wall, celebrating the Caffè, and its being declared a national monument.
While we have written about them in many posts, over the years, the Spanish Steps, or the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, as they are called in Italian, are always worth a few minutes of one’s time, when in Rome. The 135 stepped staircase was designed by the architects, Alessandro Specchi and Francesco de Sanctis, and dates from 1725. I have very fond memories of sitting on the steps, listening to people playing guitar and singing, but that, unfortunately, is not possible anymore. It seems that too many people were sitting on the steps, eating, and then, leaving their trash there. Now, it is illegal to sit on the stairs, and eat anything, even while walking on them. If only people would have done the correct thing from the beginning, and clean up after themselves, this law would not have been necessary, but sadly, that is not the way things are, in this world. And so, laws like this get passed, in order to protect our monuments!
Walking along Via Bocca di Leone, we came upon the Fontana Torlonia, which dates from 1842, and is the work of the architect, Antonio Sarti. The fountain stands across from the Palazzo Núñez-Torlonia, which dates from 1660, and was designed by Giovanni Antonio de’ Rossi for the marquis, Francisco Núñez-Sánchez. The palazzo was later purchased by Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Lucien Bonaparte, and then, in 1842, by Prince Marino Torlonia. It was here that the princess, Beatriz Torlonia of Spain, died in 2002. The Torlonia family still resides in the palazzo.
A plaque, on the facade of the Hotel d’Inghilterra, remembers the Polish writer, Henryk Sienkiewicz, who stayed at the hotel, while in Rome. Sienkiewicz was the Nobel Prize winning author of <em>Quo Vadis.</em>
The Hotel d’Inghilterra, or the Albergo d’Inghilterra, opened its doors in 1845. Prior to that, the building functioned as a guest house for those visiting Palazzo Torlonia. Since the opening, the hotel has attracted many notable guests, such as Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Elizabeth Taylor, just to name a few.
At Via del Corso, #418, you will find Palazzo Ruspoli. The palazzo dates from the 16th century. It was purchased by the Ruspoli family in 1776, and they still own part of it today.
The Palazzo dell’Ex-Unione Militare dates from the early 1900s, and was built to house the headquarters of the Unione Militare, a company that specialized in uniforms and accessories for the Italian Armed Forces. The palazzo is now owned by the Benetton Group, who restored it in 2013.
Next up: More of our last day in Rome, including a visit to a very high-end department store!
<em>Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear. If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Rome, as well as other Italian destinations. Grazie!</em>